Photographic copying apparatus



Dec. 17, 1957 T. c. NIGHTINGALL ET AL 2,8

PHOTOGRAPHIC COPYING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 26, 1956 2 Sheets-Sh eet 1 9 fin (50) 1N1 91726) 213" V J 1Q MM w'y% United States Patent PHOTOGRAPHIC COPYING APPARATUS Theodore Charles Nightingall, Wellington, Wellington,

New Zealand, and Christian Luz, Wetzlar (Lahn), Germany, assignors to Ernst Leitz, G. m. b. H., a corporation of Germany Application December 26, 1956, Serial No. 630,519

Claims priority, application New Zealand January 9, 1956 7 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) This invention relates to photographic copying apparatus and the objects of the invention are to provide such apparatus with certain improvements whereby the copy sheet of paper is automatically placed in the correct position upon its supporting base and provided with border portions of even widths predetermined with relation to the dimensions of the sheet of paper. Another object of the invention is to prepare the finished picture in such a manner that the trimming or cutting of the finished picture, heretofore necessarily practised, is eliminated or largely avoided. Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The specific improvements according to this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus with the border masking frame open or raised from the base.

Figure 2 and Figure 3 are sectional detail views taken on the lines IIII and III-III respectively, of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view of parts shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional detail view of parts shown in Figure 5.

As shown in Figures 1-4, the copying board or base 1 supports a rectangular masking frame consisting of the four frame pieces 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. The frame is hinged to the base by hinges 3. The base 1 carries fixed stops 4a and 4b which are so positioned with relation to the inner edges 5a and 5b of the frame pieces 2a and 2b that when a sheet of copying paper 6 is laid upon the base 1 and the masking frame closed there will be a border portion, not to be exposed, of a width equal to the distances 4a5a and 4b--5b, which are the distances between the inner edges 5a and 5b and the stops 4a and 4b. The edges 5a and 5b form the limits of the picture within the borders on the two adjacent sides within the masking frame. The stops 4a and 4b are preferably bent angularly to hold the copying paper. The frame sides have punched up portions to accommodate the stops.

The two other frame pieces 20 and 2d are each provided with a movable rail 2e and 2 respectively. The edges 5c and 5d of the rails form the limits of the picture complementary to the edges 5a and 5b. The movable rails 2e and 2] are guided upon the frame pieces by slots 7 and bolts 8. Springs 9 attached between the rails and the frame pieces tend to draw the rails inwardly to form the two adjacent sides of the frame as will be understood.

The rails 20 and 2 are provided with fingers 10 which extend downwardly into pockets 1a in the base 1 and these fingers are bent away from the edges 5c and id in the rails, so that, when the masking frame is closed upon the base 1, the fingers will engage the copy paper 6 to move it into the correct position against the stops 4a and 4b. The distances between the inner edges 50 and 50' from the inner surfaces 10a on the fingers 10 are 2,816,478 Patented Dec. 17, 1957 exactly equal to the aforesaid distances 412-511 and 4b5b. Thus, on all four sides the sheet of copy paper will have an even unexposed border and as the masking frame is closed, the sheet of paper will be guided and perhaps moved into the correct position on the base 1.

When the masking frame is open the movable rails Will be drawn inward by the springs 9 and the masking frame will then form the smallest possible picture frame opening. If now a sheet of copying paper 6 is placed upon the base and the masking frame is closed, the fingers 10 will engage the edges of the sheet of paper, Figures 2 and 3, and move the sheet of paper into the proper position against the stops 4a and 4b. The springs 9 Will then be expanded. Inasmuch as the rails resiliently engage the edges of the sheet of paper, the unexposed border of the sheet of paper will have the same width even should the sheet of paper not be exactly right angled. The movable rails compensate for irregularities which may exist in the size of the sheet of copying paper.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the invention for use with an automatic or semi-automatic copying paper cassette exclusive of the devices for the automatic placing and removal of the sheet of copying paper. In this embodiment the base 20 supports the fixed rails 21, 22 and 23, which form a three sided guiding frame for insert ing or placing the sheet of copying paper on the base. The sheet of paper is thereby placed in the proper position with relation to the masking frame which is hinged to the base at 24.

The masking frame 25 carries the adjacent two fixed framing sides or pieces 26 and 27. The two other sides of the frame are formed by the two movable rails 28 and 29 having the edges 28a and 29a, respectively. The picture opening is thus formed within the two adjacent fixed side pieces 26 and 27 together with the two other sides 28 and 29. The rails are slidably supported on fixed carrier supports 31 and 32 by means of guiding slots 28b, 29b and bolts 30. Springs 33, Figure 6 tend to pull the rails outward so that the frame 26, 27, 28 and 29 will normally form the greatest possible picture field.

The rails 28, 29 are provided with double action fingers 35 which extend downward into pockets 20a in the base 20, when the masking frame is closed upon the base. The fingers have inclined surfaces or portions 35a for easy downward passage past the edges of the sheet of paper, Figure 6, and other inclined portions 35b for easy engagement with the upright springs 36 secured to the base. The springs 36 are stronger than the rail springs 33 and serve to oppose the pull or contraction of the springs 33. The direction of the effective work of the springs is shown by arrows in Figure 6.

When the masking frame 25 is closed upon the base 2d, the springs 36 serve to push the fingers 35 into engagement with the adjacent edges of the sheet of paper 6, and move the sheet of paper into engagement with the fixed frame pieces 21 and 22 on the base. The distance between the edges 26 and 27, in the hinged frame, and the fixed frame pieces 21 and 22 on the base, that is the distances 21-26 and 22-27 are equal to the distances between the inclined portions 35a on the fingers 35 and the rail edges 28a and 29a so that an even unexposed border pcrtion is formed when the masking frame is closed upon the base. The inclined surfaces or portions 35a and 35b on the double acting fingers 35 are of advantage when the masking frame is opened in that the springs 33 then pull the fingers away from the edges of the sheet of copying paper and thus prevent the fingers from moving the sheet of paper out of its intended position on the base.

This invention is susceptible of changes and modifications and we claim all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims.

We nlairn:

1Q Ina photographic \copying apparatus having a hase and iarna king trar e hing d the et said a ha ing fixed stops for registering two adjacent sides of a sheet of wry pap p aced upon the base, said king frame consist ng .of f ur mem rs forming a rec angular fram fer1d.efining.the pic u e he of the she t o' pepe c a a teriz d .by rail moi a y suppor ed an guided up twoadjae n side Qf I d rma 'kingtfram i r il lh inglinneregiges for definingthe tw o adjacentsides of the picture fiel comp emen ary t th tw a jace r giste ing lides of said paper, finge .rnerh s .on s id ra adapted .to e gag the edge of said shee jf pape cemp eme e y =1 th L gistered edge the eo and sprin formnviing said rail 1 c us s id ifing rm m ers the on to engag rs 'id unr gistered si es of th S e of pape and .move th la t r int egi ed eng g men with the .said xed st p in h said ba e- 2. Ihe improvements as defined in claim 1 in which the said stops in the base are positioned therein a predetermined distanee from the inner edges of the two adjacent sides of said masking frame which are com e emen ary t h t o a ja en l de of aid {frame up which the said rails are mounted, said predetermined distance being measured when said masking frame is closed upon said base.

3. The improvements as defined in claim 1 in which the said finger members extend downwardly from their respective rails and the said base is provided with pockets to receive said finger members.

4. Th imp em n s a defi ed i vcla m intw the said springs draw the said rails toward the centre of the ,rnasking frame :to define the smallest possible picture ld in s i fr m 5. The improvements as defined in.,c 1airn Linwhiph the said springs are attached to and interposed between the said rails and =their respective supporting sides of the skin t eme- 6. The improvements as defined in claim 1 including springs for moving the said rails to form the largest possible picture field within the masking frame and other springs for moving the rails in the opposite direction and overcome the effect oft-he action of 'said first named springs.

7.The improvements accordi-ngto-claim 6 in which the finger members-engagi-ngthe sheet of copy'paper have inclined surface portions forcasytp-assage past-the edges ofgthe paperwhen the masking frame is-openedor closed upon the said base.

2N0 .referencesfcited. 

